How to Melt Gold With Borax

By Jophiel Aurora; Updated April 24, 2017

Many people sell their old or scrap gold jewelry for extra money or just to be free of the extra clutter in their jewelry box. This unwanted gold can be melted and used to make a large variety of jewelry, accessories and other decorative objects. Different techniques are used to melt the gold to a liquid. A common substance used is borax. Borax allows you to melt your own gold in a safe, well ventilated area of your home.

Use a knife to scoop out the charcoal until you have a small bowl-like container. A gold ring or small necklace should fit nicely into the bowl you have created from the piece of charcoal.

Scrape the bottom of the charcoal bowl so it sits flat on a safe object that won’t burn. Do this outside or in a very well ventilated place.

Place the gold piece into the charcoal container and put on your safety mask or goggles.

Light a propane torch and begin moving the flame over the gold. Hold the flame over the gold until the gold is red-hot.

Prepare to melt the gold. Sprinkle a little borax onto your gold piece. Increase the amount of heat on the torch until the gold starts to melt. It should look bright orange with a green tint as it nears its melting point. All the fine particles of gold will melt together into a bright ball.

Tip

Keep the flame on the torch low for your protection as well as to keep from blowing the gold out of the charcoal container.

Warning

Be cautious when working with borax. Wear nose and eye protection as well as protective gloves.

Things Needed

Charcoal

Borax

Propane torch

Gold jewelry piece

Knife

Safety mask

References

About the Author

Since 2007, Jophiel Aurora has written articles on environmental issues, vegetarianism, travel and animal rights for Web sites like eHow, Answerbag and LIVESTRONG.COM. Aurora is also a writer for Animal World: Our Co-Inhabitants, an online program. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration in computer information systems from Georgia State University.